Mathis Grunewald (Mathis Neithardt Gothardt) was born in Wurzburg, Germany. So little is known of his life that, while some authorities have placed the date of his birth in as early as the year 1455, others argue that it was not until as late as 1480. It is known, however, that Grunewald worked for the Archbishop of Mainz, and was chief painter to the Cardinal, Prince Albrecht von Brandenburg. During his early years, he was apprenticed to a goldsmith in Strasburg and, later, he worked in the studio of Martin Schongauer, in Colmar, where he painted altarpieces and portraits, and learned steel engraving.